Newcastle East End upgrade heads for January start

Newcastle’s Hunter Street Mall renewal is set to enter its final streetscape phase in January 2027, following the appointment of Daracon Group to carry out upgrades on Hunter and Newcomen streets.

City of Newcastle announced the contract on 28 October 2026, after councillors unanimously approved the tender at the previous night’s meeting.

The works will include new road surfaces, footpaths, street trees and gardens, alongside underground infrastructure upgrades. A new public plaza is planned for Market Street between Hunter and Keightley streets, featuring public art celebrating Newcastle’s Indigenous history.

The project will also extend the existing two-way cycleway, strengthening the connection between the city centre and harbour.

The East End Village project is supported by $16.7 million from the Australian Government’s regional Precincts and Partnerships Program.

Council’s infrastructure director said the organisation was working towards completion of this phase in early 2028. This is a target rather than a guaranteed completion date.

The next stage builds on streetscape improvements already delivered on Hunter, Perkins, Brown and Wolfe streets. The accompanying illustration represents streetscape improvements, not the approved project design.